The present invention relates generally to the field of tape drives, and more particularly to tape drives for reading and writing computer data (such as digital data), and even more particularly to head wear of magnetic recording heads of such tape drives.
Tape drives are used for storing digital data that is readable and/or executable by computers. Data is accessed (that is, read or written) on a tape medium, which is elongated and defines: (i) a longitudinal direction—that is, along the length of the tape medium; (ii) a thickness direction—that is the thickness of the flat tape medium; and (iii) a transverse direction—that is, direction across the width of the tape medium. When performing data access operations, the tape medium is actuated to move in the longitudinal direction with respect to a magnetic head (herein sometimes simply referred to as a “head”) of the tape drive. Also, when seeking for a data storage location on the tape medium, typically in preparation for an access operation, the tape is also actuated to move in a longitudinal direction past the head. The relative longitudinal direction motion between the tape medium and the head causes wear on the head, which is a recognized problem. For example, FIG. 1 shows a conventional head 100 with worn grooves 101 caused by the transverse edges of tape mediums rubbing against the major surface of head 100 as the tape medium moves relative to the head in the longitudinal direction.
Servomechanisms in tape drives include several components, such as: (i) mechanical parts, (ii) transducers, and (iii) signal-processing units implemented by logical circuits. For example, in a track-follow servomechanism for some currently conventional tape drives, a coarse actuator and a fine actuator are used for the transverse (sometimes herein referred to as lateral) positioning of a rigid tape head module relative to the tape medium. The rigid tape head module typically includes: (i) data write and read elements, and (ii) servo read elements—also known as servo elements. Another component, called a skew actuator, tilts the tape head module to be angularly aligned during access (sometimes herein referred to as write/read or read/write) operations. One or multiple servo elements that are part of the tape head module provide servo signals to respective servo channels for computing estimates of tape velocity and longitudinal tape position as well as a lateral tape head position, also known as transverse position, with respect to the tape, and a controller determines digital control signals for actuators such as an actuator for moving the tape head module as a whole in the transverse (sometimes herein also referred to as the lateral) dimension.
Currently conventional tape drive systems have transducer assemblies that include: (i) a “transducer,” that is, a piece part that includes one or more magnetic transducer(s) (for example magnetic head array(s)); and (ii) a “transducer housing,” that is, a piece part with a recess that holds the transducer piece part (for example, a U-shaped carbon tape support member, supporting rails).